← 3.41.43 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 41: Rāma pursues the deer · 3.41.45 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.41.44

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 41: Rāma pursues the deer. Lakṣmaṇa suspects Mārīca, Sītā asks for the living animal or its hide and Rāma leaves Lakṣmaṇa to guard her

In the sequence: he orders Lakṣmaṇa to remain alert beside Sītā, with Jaṭāyu nearby, while he captures or kills the deer and returns.

3.41.44

bhaved dhato 'yaṃ vātāpir agastyeneva mā gatiḥ
iha tvaṃ bhava saṃnaddho yantrito rakṣa maithilīm

This one would be slain as Vātāpi was by Agastya—let there be no escape for it. Here you, girded and alert, guard Maithilī.

Words: bhaved dhato 'yaṃ — this would be slain; vātāpir — Vātāpi; agastyeneva — as by Agastya; mā gatiḥ — let there be no (escape) course [uncertain]; iha — here; tvaṃ — you; bhava saṃnaddho — be girded; yantrito — restrained, alert; rakṣa maithilīm — guard Maithilī

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.